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Chapter 9 – Recurrent Yeast Infections?

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The Copper Connection

It appears as if there is a relationship between a copper imbalance and yeast infections. Copper levels may be raised in a person through the use of birth control pill, copper IUDs, steroids and antibiotics.  David Watts, Ph.D. notes that copper promotes the growth of yeast.  Excess copper can also reduce the immune function of the body which helps yeast overgrowth to occur more easily.  

Many women today are toxic in copper.  How do you find out if this a possibility for you?  One way to tell if you have too much copper is to look for brown spots on your skin. The one sure way is to have a TMA (tissue mineral analysis) test done. Your doctor should be able to help you with this.  

Avoid foods high in copper:  Almonds, avocado, baker’s yeast, bran flakes, brazil nuts, chocolate (ouch!), crab, grapes, liver, lobster, haddock, herring, mushrooms, peanut butter, pecans, sesame seeds, shrimp, sunflower seeds, trout and walnuts.

Could it be Candidiasis?

Now, if you have read through all of this and have tried many of these remedies to no avail and your yeast infections continue to recur, it is possible you have what is called a systemic yeast infection.  This means the candida is overgrowing throughout your entire digestive tract thus causing you to re-infect yourself time and time again.  I feel people who have chronic recurrent yeast infections are people in this category.  You may have a systemic yeast infection if you fall into any one of these categories...

§    have ever taken birth control pills §    have ever taken oral acne medications §    have ever taken Prednisone §    have ever taken chemotherapy treatments §    are on estrogen (HRT) §    have just gotten finished with a dose of antibiotics §    has diabetes or an auto-immune disorder §    have recurrent yeast infections or other vaginal issues §    have a white tongue

Candida overgrowth may affect 85%-90% of the population in theUS. Candida may very well be the unsung epidemic of the day.

What exactly is Candida?

Candida albicans is a common bacterium in our digestive system and throat.  When we are exposed to antibiotics, birth control pills, corti-steroids, or products like prednisone the good bacteria in our systems are killed off and the candida overgrows.  When candida gets out of control, it morphs into a harmful fungus and grows rhizoids. Rhizoids are fingerlike protusions the fungal yeast uses to gather food (i.e., sugar). The yeast uses these rhizoids to attach to our intestinal wall.  Over time they actually can burrow directly through our intestinal wall causing a condition called Leaky Gut Syndrome. This condition causes our intestines to become porous which allows partially digested food and yeast into our bloodstream where they become toxins. The toxins the yeast puts into our system are responsible for the varying conditions each individual experiences. We also develop food sensitivities to the undigested food particles in our blood stream. When this condition occurs, you have system wide or systemic yeast and the overgrowth is called Candidiasis.

William G. Crook, M.D., a pediatric allergist from Jackson, Tennessee, had this to say about Candidiasis:

"Patients included all age groups and both sexes. Children with learning disabilities, dyslexia, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, food allergies, drug abuse and a variety of delinquent and emotional disorders, had often received repeated courses of antibiotics for recurrent ear infections, bronchitis and other conditions--including prolonged courses of tetracycline for acne. Even patients who had been committed to mental hospitals have been helped by anti-fungal therapy. Other puzzling immunologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus, have responded better when attention was given to reduction of yeast and immune stress. A wide spectrum of allergic disorders, from classical hay fever to chronic, delayed-onset type of food allergy and petrochemical sensitivity, have improved following anti-yeast therapy. The use of allergy injections has been eliminated in many cases. Injection therapy has never been of much help in food allergy. Avoidance and anti-yeast therapy are the most effective long-term programs. Tolerance to previously offending foods and exposures is usually improved after several months of anti-fungal therapy."

 Sadly, most of us must diagnose ourselves with Candidiasis; the medical community seems unwilling or unable to assist. Don't get me wrong, there are some out there who can and will help, but the vast majority of doctors seem to be totally unaware of this condition or at least tend to minimize its impact.

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